Iron Pre Essentials Kits For The DIYA Store - Register Your Interest

[Ixnay]

Geez! Maybe I should send a sketch of my work so that I can't enhance to look as great as this. I do marvel at some of the work displayed here. One thing I am getting is that planning pays.

 

[mawi]

Hi all!

I need some help regarding a complete BOM (in a digital format) for the balanced V.4...... I want to match the shipping list provided and prepare my checklist for installation :-D

B.R. // Mats

 

[ItsAllInMyHead]

The schematics are in post #1. What do you need, exactly? I'm on limited bandwidth at the moment, but I can likely get you some sort of a checklist. If you're looking for something like what I did for the AJzm, I don't have that created, but you can use the schematics and the packing list as a fairly clean substitution... I can't remote into my server, but I'll attach a digital version of the packing list in about a week if that will help.

Edited to add - Apparently, I can do some of this techy stuff. See attached. Hope it helps.

 

[Zen Mod]

hope you got your e-book reader with you

 

[ItsAllInMyHead]

^ Morning coffee view... A little light reading (with non-techy paper book) ... definitely. 🙂

 

[Zen Mod]

which reminds me of pic I took, on one of vacations I had with my crew

 

[von Ah]

"They are not 'the hell' your whales, Choky."

 

[6L6]

“Are you sure it isn’t time for a colorful metaphor?”

 

[ItsAllInMyHead]

🙂

 

[Zleepy]

Boards ready. Today is a big day. I should receive both a custom chassis from Modushop as well as Toroidy donuts. 🙂

 

[Zleepy]

I was certain some of my IEC inlets would fit the cutout in the back panel, but no. None of the ones in my stash fit.

The specified Shurter DD12.111.111 can be easily found on Mouser or Digikey, but I don't have anything else I need right now, and shipping costs for orders under 50EUR is 20Eur. Ouch.

If anyone has a bunch of these laying around ad would be willing to spare me one, please send me a dm... 🙂

 

[Zleepy]

Ordered the IEC along with some other stuff. Should be all sorted now. 🙂

 

[jminassi]

Zleepy,

I love the way those boards look! The Moddish Zen Person really designed a corker, didn't he? But I have the same question you have. I bought the Balanced Zen Pre Essentials and Supplementary Kit along with the Zen Mod Balanced Chassis from Modushop. I know I need power transformer(s). But what about the power switch, IEC power inlet, volume pots, XLRs and RCA jacks? Does anyone have suggested part numbers for these items? Where was the Shurter IEC you ordered specified?

Many thanks,

John

 

[Zleepy]

@jminassi, If you haven't already, I strongly recommend that you read through this entire thread. You'll find lots of information about hardware alternatives, layout suggestions, etc. If nothing else, you'll be entertained by the humor of ZM and his crew 🙂.

One of the points with these kits is that you can tailor them to your liking with the surrounding hardware and chassis.

The suggested IEC power inlet is equipped with both a fuse and an on/off switch. The switch is quite intuitive to use (from experience with similar ones). If you opt for the chassis from Modushop the front plate is pre-drilled for an on/off switch and LED indicator. The hole looks to be quite small so a toggle switch is probably the easiest to fit.

I have decided on Frank Wilkers Muses potentiometer. He has developed a kit for the Iron Pre and I could not resist it when I started reading about it. Apart from very high quality attenuation with super short signal path you get input switching, display, on/off switching and more, all controllable by a remote.

Most of the people building these seem to choose an alps pot. Had I chosen a mechanical potentiometer I probably would have chosen an EIZZ stepped pot. There are many choices. Choose your poison 🙂 Remember that the Modushop balanced front plate is drilled for two stereo pots.

If you go with the Modushop chassis, the rear plate cutouts are for D-type input connectors. Neutrik are industry standard and you can't go wrong with them. I suffer from audionervosa so I have opted for audiophool connectors. Once I get going with my chassis I'll share pictures.

Transformator recommendations can be found in the building guide.

Good luck with your build, and please share pictures along the way 🙂

 

[greg2010_0]

Up and running, thanks to Patrick for sorting the twister issue (and to the young ZM of course😎)

 

[ItsAllInMyHead]

Zleepy,

I love the way those boards look! The Moddish Zen Person really designed a corker, didn't he? But I have the same question you have. I bought the Balanced Zen Pre Essentials and Supplementary Kit along with the Zen Mod Balanced Chassis from Modushop. I know I need power transformer(s). But what about the power switch, IEC power inlet, volume pots, XLRs and RCA jacks? Does anyone have suggested part numbers for these items? Where was the Shurter IEC you ordered specified?

Many thanks,

John

Hi John - Focus on reading post #1 from top to bottom. If all your questions are not answered in that post (or a link to the answer)... let me know.

Enjoy the build!

 

[Peppe]

Here comes my blue car boards Iron Pre. Balanced but in SE-sized chassis.

I couldn't use the store SE chassis. I needed an additional output and had to rotate the power inlet 90 degrees. Hence, a completely new custom chassis.

Make the layout symmetric, just because. Flip the toroids to make them fit. Rotate the input selector due to lack of space behind the front panel. Add a silver faceplate to distinguish it from the official store chassis. Add ZM logo and some irony around the knob. Use LED and dual-fuse PCBs simply because are in stock. Place the pot where ZM likes it. Leave space to update the pot down the road. Deal with the limited space for signal wiring. Measure it. Forget about measurements. Take your time. Enjoy the whole process.

This will be my central control unit until I have the time, space, and money for the full Pumpkin.

 

[Zleepy]

Wow, how nice is that? Very neat layout 🙂

 

[Zen Mod]

Up and

Fugly!

Here comes

Fugly!

 

[jminassi]

@jminassi, If you haven't already, I strongly recommend that you read through this entire thread. You'll find lots of information about hardware alternatives, layout suggestions, etc. If nothing else, you'll be entertained by the humor

Ok, thanks. I bought the Zen Mod Pre Balanced chassis so I will search for an IEC inlet without a power switch; I prefer on/off on the front of the chassis. I have a drill press, and I can mod that hole on the front for the switch. I've used the Alps pots in the past and they are fine, but the EIZZ pots are better. I used one on my tubes4hifi preamp. The MUSE system sounds interesting, but I don't need remote control and I prefer mechanical systems that can be repaired easily. I'll let the forum know how it goes. I'm working on a Wolverine amplifier now. And I'm waiting on Jim's Build Guide for the balanced version.

jm
One of the points with these kits is that you can tailor them to your liking with the surrounding hardware and chassis.

The suggested IEC power inlet is equipped with both a fuse and an on/off switch. The switch is quite intuitive to use (from experience with similar ones). If you opt for the chassis from Modushop the front plate is pre-drilled for an on/off switch and LED indicator. The hole looks to be quite small so a toggle switch is probably the easiest to fit.

I have decided on Frank Wilkers Muses potentiometer. He has developed a kit for the Iron Pre and I could not resist it when I started reading about it. Apart from very high quality attenuation with super short signal path you get input switching, display, on/off switching and more, all controllable by a remote.

Most of the people building these seem to choose an alps pot. Had I chosen a mechanical potentiometer I probably would have chosen an EIZZ stepped pot. There are many choices. Choose your poison 🙂 Remember that the Modushop balanced front plate is drilled for two stereo pots.

If you go with the Modushop chassis, the rear plate cutouts are for D-type input connectors. Neutrik are industry standard and you can't go wrong with them. I suffer from audionervosa so I have opted for audiophool connectors. Once I get going with my chassis I'll share pictures.

Transformator recommendations can be found in the building guide.

Good luck with your build, and please share pictures along the way 🙂